Ore dock



s: 1, 1931. A. FRAZEE 7 1,818,470 I ORE noc x' Filed March 51, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet, 1

Aug; 11, 1931. A; M. FRAZEE ORE DOCK 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 31, 1927 ($772666: awwfl z Aug. 11, 1931. A, M, F'RAZEE 1,818,470

ORE DOCK Filed March 31, 1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 bhT . QTX

Aug. 11, 1931. A. M. FRAzEs ORE DOCK.

Fild Manch 51, 1927 TSheets-Sheet 7 Patented Aug. 11, 1931 ARTHUR M. FRAZEE, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA I ORE DOCK Application filed March 31, 1927. Serial No. 179,875.'

This invention relates to a new and im proved ore dock construction and more particularly to a movable bridge adapted for a use on ore docks to facilitate the unloading of; material from freight cars and the dischar e of such material from the dock into vesse s. v

" Ore docks as generallyconstructed, con- 'sist of a plurality of bins or hoppers over 0 which extend railroad tracks adapted to carry the ore cars which thus dump by grav ity into the hoppers. The hoppers are discharged by gravity through chutes into the vessels being loaded. In the present opera- ";15 tionof the ore doc-ks, the ore cars are pushed onto the dock, the brakelnan at the head of the train returns to the engine at the shoreend of the train which is then uncoupled and v leaves the cars on the dock. The cars are of 20 the'hopper type and are so located when the train is stopped that the hoppers discharge into bins below the track. 'In the usual construction the hoppers are located 7 12 feet on centers and the cars are 24 feet on centers so that adjacent cars discharge into alternate hoppers. V

The hopper cars are provided with hopper doors which are operated by a Windlass form of a door closing mechanism carried by the cars. "After the train is spotted on the dock these doors are opened by men'working on the dock and the material discharged. The material tends to stick in the cars and it is necessary to provide means for loosening the 3 material. This is vaccomplished'by pounding on the side of the cars or by men'climbing up on the/cars and using pokev bars tobreak upthe bridges formed in the material over the hopper opening. This is extremely dangerous and difiicult work. r The material often spills out over the rails and on to the deck'of the dock. This material must be manually shoveled off of the rails and swept from the dock into the hoppers. The hopper doors must be closed by hand before the cars can be removed. When the cars are all unloaded and the doors again raised, the engine is brought to the train and coupled on and the brakeman must then .1 proceed to theother end of thetrain before I the train can be pulled from-the dock. W'hen it is desired to discharge the material from the hoppers into vessels difficulties also arise in'securing a free flowof the material. It is frequently necessary for the material to be poked with long bars tobreak up the bridges which form 0v the dock hoppe Itis an object of the present invention to er the discharge openings of rs.

provide a traveling bridge carrying apparatus for openlng and .closmg cars, for asand from dock sisting in the discharge of material fromcars hoppers, and for clearing the dock surfaces. of surplus material.

i'. ii

It is an additional objectto provide a con- (13 structlon of this character 111 which these vamay be carried out by power rious processes operated appar of operators.

a It is also an atus with aminimum number object to provide a construction in which the controls of the various app aratus are so interlocked as to eliminate danger to the operators.

It is an additional object-to provide av bridge adapted to convey train operators from one end to the other of the train.

Other and further objects will appear as the description I have illustrated in the ferred embodlment of my 111- drawings a pre ventlon, in .whi

proceeds. V

accompanying Figure l is an end view ofthe bridge,.parts anismg' Flgure 2 1s a being broken awayto show the interior mechplan view showing the apparatus located in the lower portionsof the bridge st-ructur Figure 3 is broken away; I Flgure 41s e; p a side el vation with parts a detailed View on an enlarged scale of theknocker construction; I

Figure 5 isa detailed view on an enlarged Figure 6 is a iew on-an enlarged scale switches Figure 7 isa somewhat diagrammatic view showinga portion of the interlocking control circuits Figure 8 153' sectional view on an enlarged scale showingthecartrapping mechanism;

pita

. the legs.

scale showing the drive of the trapping mech anism;

Figure 9 is a vertical section taken on line 99 of Figure 8;

,Figure 10 is a plan view of a lever interlock construction; and

Figure 11 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view of the brush controlling mechanism.

The ore dock deck as which are located the hoppers, these latter not being shown. The rails 12 are provided to carry the bridge structure which. comprises the vertical legs 13 and 14 and the transverse structure 15 connecting the upper ends of At the upper end of the leg 13 are provided the collector contact members 16 adapted to engage electric conductors to carry electric power to the bridge. Each leg of the bridge is similar and only one need be described in detail.

The leg 13 as shown in Figure 3 is supported upon double flanged wheels 17 which run upon the track 12. These-wheels 17 are driven by motor 18 through gears 19, the counter shaft 20, gears 21 and beveled gears 22. It will be understood that motor 18 is reversible so that the bridge may be run in either direction. Theotherleg ofthe bridge is provided with exactly similar driving I means. I

The leg 13 carries the cage 23 provided with door 24. This cage is provided for carrying the trainmen from one end to the other of the train and a suitable interlock, described in; detail hereafter, is, provided. sothat the bridge cannot be operated when the door of the cage is open.

The door unlocking mechanism adapted to unlock the door of the ore car is carried by ure 8, encloses the gears and clutches for controlling and driving the mechanism for moving the assembly and also for. trapping mechanism. a

The shaft 201 is positively connected to the driven member202 ofthe magneticclu-tch 2'7, 7

and the movable jaw clutch member 203 which is splined to the shaft, may be moved to engage the clutch portion 204 which-is integral with the pulley 205 205 drives the pulley 206 on. cross shaft 207 by means of belt 208 as best shown inFigure 9. The shaft 207 carries the bevel gear 209 .which meshes with bevel gear 210 on the male shown is provided with a palr of spaced railroad tracks 11 below operating the The: pulley:

screw member 31. The jaw clutch 203 is operated by the lever 32 pivoted at 211 in the housing.

The shaft 201 carries the bevel gear 212 which meshes with the bevel gear 213 carried on shaft 214. The shaft 214 also carries the small gear 215 which meshes with the large gear 216 on counter shaft 217. The shaft 217 is also provided'with the small gear 218 adapted to mesh with the sliding gear 219 carried on shaft 220. The sliding gear 219 is operated by lever 38 which moves the fork 221 engaging the groove 222. The shaft 220 carries the gear 223 through which the gear 224 is driven by means of the flexible drive member225. The gear 224 .slidably supports and drives the socket wrench 34.

The interlock shownin Figure 10 is pro vided to prevent simultaneous operation of the wrench 34 and the movement of the assembly 28. This interlock comprises the slide 226, guided in members 227 and movable with the lever 38. The swinging lever 228 is pivoted at 229 and is pivotally connected toslide 226 at 230. The lever 32 extends through an opening in lever 228, this opening having an arcuate portion 231 and a straight portion 232. With. the parts as shown in Figure 10. either lever 32 or 38 maybe operated. If lever 32 is operated it moves to the right in the straight opening 232 and when in that opening the lever 38 cannot be moved as the lever 228 cannot swing about its pivot. If the parts are in the position shown and lever 38 bemoved, slide 226 moves and swings lever 228 to bring lever 32 into the arcuate portion 231 of theopening and that lever then cannot be moved.

I iheapparauts in the compartment inthe lower'portion of the leg is completely enclosed by a netting or grill work through which extends a sliding door 30. This door operates a control switch which will be described in detail hereafter. Vhen the door is opened the car .door operaing mechanism maybe swung downwardly to the dotted line position of Figure 5. This downward movement is accomplished by rotating the male screw member 31 by means of thetrainof gears connected to the magnetic clutch 27 by means of the jaw clutch 203, controlled by lever- 32. Rotation of the screw 31causes it to pass into the lower member or female screw 33 which draws the assembly 28 to the dotted line positionof Figure 5. When the assembly reaches the desired lower position the'lever 32 is operated todisengage the aw clutch which it'controls and the assembly remains held in the desired position.

' The mechanism carrying the socket wrench 34 extends laterally from the assembly 28, as

viewed in Figure 5, and is pivoted to the as sembly so as to be movable in a vertical are about the shaft 220 at its point of connection.

This movement.isaccomplished by means of the handle 35 which drives a gear. meshing with the rack 36. As best shown in Figure 2, the socket wrench 34 is provided with a hand wheel 37 by means of which the wrench may be moved inwardly and outwardly. The wrench is driven in either direction by power supplied from the reversible motor 25 through the magnetic clutch 27 i and the gear train in assembly 28, controlled by the clutch lever 38. The magnetic clutch 27 is .controlled bypressureon the foot button 93.

The knocker assembly is shown in detail in Figure 4 and comprises electrically driven apparatus enclosed in the housing 39 adapted to reciprocate the hammer head 40. The

7 housin 39 is supported by the parallel membars 41 and 42, the upper ends of which are connected to the slide 43 operating on the vertical guides 44. The counterweights-45 are connected to the slide by cables 46 passing over pulleys 47 The handlwheel 48 is carried by the slide 43. This hand wheel 48, by means of the planetary gears 49, drives the shaft 50 which carries the upper ends of the parallel members 41 and 42. The hand wheel 48 thus serves to swing the hammer 40' against ing position in which it is shown a car or to withdraw it from contact with the car. The parallel member 42 is formed in two sections which may be e-Xtended'or drawn together by means of the hand wheel 51 which rotates the threaded sleeve 52- by means of the beveled gears 53 and 54. Rotation of this hand wheel 51, therefore, serves to tilt the hammer housing 39 up or down. The entire assembly may be raise-d or lowered by raising or lowering the slide 43.

The leg 13 of the bridge also carries the shovel member 55, best shown in Figures 2 and 3. This shovel memberis carried by one end of the parallel members 56 and 57. v Member 57 has its opposite ends secured to the bearings 239. The torsion springs 240 have short vertical shaft 58 located below thefloor of the compartment. Member 56 has'its opposite end pin connected to the bridge which connection acts as a hinge for the parallel motion mechanism. Shaft 58 also is provided with the operating arm 59 which latter is connected by the operating rod 60 to the stud 61 carried by the disk crank 62. The

disk crank 62 carries electric contacts which i through the beveled gears 64. The inner'end of the parallel member 57 is provided with theroller 65 which rolls on track 66. This track may vary in height so that the shovel 55 is raised from contact with the deck of the clock when it is withdrawnto the travel: in Figures 2 and 3. v

The cab 67 is supported upon wheels 68 rolling on rails 69 carried by-the transverse structure 15 of the bridge. Thecab is moved back and forth across the bridge as desired by power supplied by 'motor shown in cables 72- and 72' 'are attached tolthe large pulley95 shown in broken lines in Figure 3,

this pulley being driven by motor 73 through gears 96, shaft 97, clutch 98 and bevel gears 99. The poke bar 71 is guided by rollers 100. The cab also carries on its upper portion the chains 74 composed of heavy pointed links. These chains are carried by cables 75 passing over drums 76. These drums are operated by-motors 77 so that the heavy chains may be raised or lowered into the mass of material'in the cars or'in pockets of the dock to break up bridges which form in the material. r f 1 I V The cab further carries the rotating brush 78 which is driven'by meansof motor 79 sliding rods 91, best shown in Figure 11, are

moved in opposite directions bylever 92. Lever 92 rotates a worm 233 meshing with a worm gear 234 on cross shaft235. The cross shaft 235 carries at its opposite ends the gears 236 and237 meshing with the rack gears'238 on the rods 91.:It will be noted that gear 236 is below its rack wh le gear 237 is above its rack so that rotationof shaft 235 moves the two rods 91 in opposite directions.

Therods 91 are slidably supported in fixed oneend of each secured to a bearing 239 and its opposite end secured to a collar 241 splined on to the rod 91 so as to be slidable thereon but to rotate therewith. The springs normally hold the rods 1 in such position that the forks 242 are horizontal as shown in full lines in Figure 11. When the frame 83 is raised to the dotted line position the forks 242 are swung upwardly against the resistance of springs'240; Translationof the brush in the. horizontal plane 'is accomplished by movement of the entire bridgmiby movement of the cab, or by a combination of both said movements.

The control lever 101 controls the circuits to themotors for moving thebridge and also the circuit to the motor forinoving the cab back and forth on the bridge.

A typical solenoid switch of the type used in the interlocking controls is shown in Figure'6.- The member '102 is directly connected to the element controlled, as for example,

the cage in the leg of thebridge. This memfrom the switch. The plunger 104 carries the lower contact 105 and the upper contacts 106. The plunger is normally held in the position shown by the spring 107; the plunger thus enters'the perforation 103, holding the cage door shut, for, example. The solenoid coil 108 is connected by wires 109 and 110 with a push button in the cab. WVith the switch in the position shown the circuit is closed through wires 111 and 112 by the contact 105. This is the main circuitgiving the operator in the bridge cab control over movement of the bridge. When the push button in the cab is depressed, the'solenoid coil 108 is energized and'the plunger 104 drawn up.- wardly, breaking the circuit through wires 111 and 112 and making a circuit through wires 113 and 114 by meansof contact 106. This may be, for example, the circuit to the hammer operating mechanism. The operator in the lower cage moves the hammer from its rest position, thus moving the member 102 so that the perforation 103 is no longer in registration with the plunger 104 and this plunger engages the face of the plate 102 and is maintained in its upper position, closing the circuit through wires" 113 and 114, even though the'cab operator removes pressure from the control button and the solenoid becomes deenergized. When the use of the hammer mechanism is completed, it is restored to rest position, the-perforation 103 again brought in registration with the plunger 104 which is forced down by spring 107, breaking the circuit through wires 113 and 114 and closing the circuit through wires 111 and 112,thus restoring control of the bridge to the cab operator. I

A general outline of typical control circuits for the control of the bridge is shown in Figure 7, only a portion of the lines being shownin detail for the sake of clearness since the other lines are similar. I p

The control for the main bridge drive circuit comes in through terminal 115 and passes through wire 116' to the interlock controlled by the door to the right-hand lower cage at 117, the interlock on the righthand shovel at 118, the interlock on the-right handhammer at 119, and" the interlock on the right-hand trainmans cage at120. The

'wire 121 then leads'to the interlock 122 on theleft-hand t-rainmans cage, the left-hand hammer interlock at 123, the; left-hand shovel interlock at 124, and the lefthand cage door interlock at 125. From the interlock 125, the wire 126 leads to the terminals 127 and 128. The wire 129 leadsfrom terminals 130to wire 131 which connects at 132to the starting coil for propelling the left-hand side of the bridge backward and'at 133 to the starting coil forpropelling the righthand side of the'bridge backward. The wire pelling the right-hand side of the bridge for- I:

ward. All four starting coils are connected by wire 139 to wire 140 which leads to the other terminal141 of the main bridge drive circuit. i

The controller-handle 142 may be moved 1 to connect either terminals 128 and 135 to propel both sides of the bridge forward .or to connect terminals 127 and 130 to propel both sides of the bridge backward. However,

such movement of the lever will not move '8 the bridge if the circuit is broken at any one of the eight interlocks.

The left-hand interlock solenoid circuit leads from terminal 143 by wire 144 to the trainmans cage button 145, the lower cage doorbutton 146, the-hammerbutton 147, and the shovel motor button 148. From button 145 the wire 149 leads to the solenoid coil in the trainmans cage interlock 122 and from this solenoid the wires 150, 151 and 152 lead to the terminal 153.

From button 146, the wire 154 leads to the solenoid on the left cage door interlock 125. From the solenoid the circuit returns to terminal 153 by wires 155. and 152. From button 147 the wire 156 leads to the solenoid in the hammer interlock 123 and the return is through wires 157, 151 and 152 to the termi- The control for star-ting the shovel has a circuit leading from button 148 through wire 158 .to starting coil 161. The holding circuit leads. from wire 144 through wire 244 to a contact at 159' on the rim of the disk crank 62, then through wire 160 to the startcometo the ten degree blank space on-the crank rim. The contact 124,. closing the main bridge drive circuit covers an arc of about ten degrees 'sothat the bridge may be moved when the shovel is at rest but 'may not be moved when the shovel is operating. The operation of thetrainman.s .cab door interlock is similar to the typical one previously described. Pressure on the button 145. energizes the solenoid-in interlock 122, the plunger is withdrawn from the perforation 163 in bar 164 and thedoor. 165 may be opened. The main bridge 'circuit is thus interrupted; When the .door 165 -is, again closed the plunger of the interlock enters the perforation 163 and the main bridge circuit is closed.

The hammer interlock 123 is also similar in operation, and pressure on button 147 closes the solenoid circuit, drawing upwardly the plunger out of perforation 166 in the rod 167. The upward movement of the plunger also closes the hammer operating circuit through wires 168 and 169. mechanical lock for maintaining the hammer in the rest position is connected to the rod 167. The lock comprises a fixed member 170 having an angular slot 171 to receive a stud 172 on the hammer. The rotating member 178 is pivoted to the fixed member 170 at 174 and is provided with a slot 175 adapted to receive the stud 172. The arm 176 is rigidly secured to the member 173 and is connected by link 177 to the rod 167. In Figure 7 the parts are shown in the unlocked position in full lines and the stud 172 may pass out of both slots.

In restoring the hammer to the locked rest position it is brought to such position that the stud 172 enters both slots 171 and 17 5 as shown in full lines in Figure 7, and is then moved to the left, the stud 172 being guided by slot 171, and due to its engagement also in slot 175, it rotates the member 173 about its pivot 17 1 to the dotted line position ofFigure 7. This movement of member 17 3 is communicated to rod 167 by arm 176 and link 177 and brings the perforation 166 into registration with the plunger in the interlock 123 so that the plunger drops down and locks the rod. This serves, by means of stud 17:2,

to lock the hammer in the rest position.

The interlock 125 on the lower cage is operated by pressure on button 146 which raises the plunger, opening the main bridge circuit and closing a circuit through wires 178 and 179. These wires are in a signal light circuit which is closed to light an indicating light in the upper cab when the door is opened.

A second control 180 is provided on the cage door operating in connection with the same slide 181 as theinterlock 125, this slide moving with the cage door. he slide 181 is provided with the perforation 182 coacting with the plunger in the interlock 125 and also with the perforation 183 coacting with the plunger 184 in the control 180. This perforation 183 is provided with a sloping slide so that when the plunger 1841 is in the perforation, the slide may be moved and will force the plunger out. There is no solenoid in the control 180. lVhen the door is fully opened and the plunger 184 is in perforation 183, a circuit is closed through wires 185 and 186 and the car trapping mechanism may be put in. operation by current flowing through these wires.

Whenthedoor is closed or in an interme- I diate position, the plunger 184 is in its upper position and closes a circuit through wires 187 and 188 which circuit includes a signal light in the upper cab. It will, there fore,"be apparent that when the cage door is closed, the light in circuit 187' and 188 is lighted, when it is open the light in circuit 178 and 179 is lighted and when in an inter-' a fixed cage for carrying a trainman carried by the lower portion of said apparatus- Ore dock mechanism comprising apparatus adapted to travel on said dock upon opposite sides of'a car on the dock, an operators cage carried by said apparatus, an electric drive for causing the travel of said apparatus, a cage for carrying atrainman.

carried by said apparatus, a door for said cage, and an interlock operated by the cage door located in the power circuit whereby the circuit is broken when the door is open.

'3. Ore dock mechanism comprising apparatus adapted to travel on said dock, portions of the apparatus being located. on opposite sides of cars on the dock, mechanism carriedby said portions adapted to engage cars to open the doors thereof, and mechanism carried by said portion adapted to hammer car sides toaid in the discharge of material therefrom.

1. Ore dock mechanism comprising apparatus adapted to travel on said dock, portions of the apparatus being located on opposite '2 sides ofcars on thedock, power driven mech anism carried by said portions for hammer-- ing car sides to facilitate the discharge of material therefrom, a power circuit for causing the travel of the apparatus, and an interlock whereby the apparatus travel circuit is broken when the car hammering mechanism is in use.

5. The combination with a dock containm a luraht of car o bins and havin a a p 23 .1

train. of cargo cars mounted thereon adapted to extend over said bins, of a support adapted to extend over said cars successively, a plurality of devices carried by said support for facilitating the movement of the cargo from movement of said support contemporaneously with the operation of some of said devices. 6. The combination with a dock containing a cargo bin and having a. cargo carrier standing over said bin, of a support mounted upon said dock and partly extending over carrier, means mounted upon said support for facilitating the transfer of the cargo of saidcarrier to said bin, and automatic interlocking means for preventing the operation of a part of said facilitating means contemporaneously with another part thereof.

.' 7. Ore dock mechanism comprisingapparatus adapted to travel on said dock, portions of the apparatus being located on' opposite sides of cars on the clock, means carried by the lower portions of the apparatus adapted to engage cars to open the doors thereof, said' means comprising a pivotally mounted mechanism provided With a rotatable socket wrench, and power means for driving said socket Wrench, and other means carried by said apparatus adapted to hammer car sides to aid in the discharge of material therefrom.

8. Ore dock mechanism comprising apparat-us ad apted to travel on said dock upon opposite sides of a car on the dock, a portion of the apparatus extending above the car, an operators cab carriecliby said portion of the apparatus, and means for hammering car sides carried by alower portion of the apparatus, said means comprising vertical guides, supporting members vertically adjustable on said guides, and an electrically operated hammer secured to saidsupporti'ng members. i

Signed at Duluth, Minnesota, this 21st day of March, 192-7.

ARTHUR M. FRAZEE. 

